Well, this is the week.
I’m taking my MSF training course this Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday. I’m excited and a little scared–my total experience on motorcycle is < 1 hour, and I’ve never operated a hand clutch or anything like that.
I’ve read over the manual and tried to absorb what I can, learning many interesting things:
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Seventy percent of the braking on a motorcycle is done by the front wheel, but you should use both front and rear brakes all the time so you’re ready for a “maximum braking” situation.
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If riding by yourself, you should ride left of the center in the lane to “protect” your lane. Essentially, you’re communicating to drivers around you that this is your lane, and they should respect that.
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Intersections are the work of Satan. Basically, on a bike you have to expect that no one sees you and that they’re going to disobey every traffic law, or else you end-up a bug-smear on the front of a Mack truck. Or, as my Dad puts it, “Ride defensively.”
Been resting on my laurels for so long, I hope I can learn something genuinely new.